


Stay With Me

by SuckerForAngst24 (SuckerForLove24)



Series: Aly's whumptober 2020 [13]
Category: Tangled (2010)
Genre: Blacking Out, Delayed Drowning, F/M, Near Death, Pain, Whump, Whumptober 2020, breathe in. breathe out, difficulty breathing, eugene is good man, gothel is still a bitch, no.13, only NEAR death, tw slight vomit description
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:13:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27004114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuckerForLove24/pseuds/SuckerForAngst24
Summary: That scene in the movie by the campfire except Rapunzel swallowed some water and the magic healing didn't fix it.
Relationships: Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Series: Aly's whumptober 2020 [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947001
Kudos: 16
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Stay With Me

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! Day 13 right under the wire. This was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy! 💛

"And you're still going back?" Eugene asked, incredulous of the magic girl sitting across from him. 

"No. Yes? I- I don't know," Rapunzel coughed. 

"Are you okay?" Asked the wanted theif. 

"Yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Just a little tired." 

Rapunzel brushed back her hair and looked up at Eugene. 

"Oh no," Eugene started after catching a glimpse of her big green puppy dog eyes. "I'll spare you the poor sob-story of orphan Eugene Fitzherbert." 

Rapunzel scooted closer to him and gave him another puppy dog pout. 

"Alright..."

Eugene regailed Rapunzel with the story of his childhood as they sat around the dying fire. Rapunzel interrupted him a few times with her coughing, and the occasional question, but Eugene continued on. By the end of it, Rapunzel looked mighty tired, but not because of Eugene's story-telling. 

"Are you sure you're alright?" He asked, still worried about the girl with the magic hair. 

"Yea, I'm fine. Just tired I guess. Big day and all." 

"Yea..." Eugene looked at Rapunzel and noticed her labored breathing. "Well I'm gonna go get some more fire wood. Why don't you take it easy and hold down the fort." 

"Wha- what fort?" Rapunzel asked, her eyes wide as she looked around for whatever a 'fort' was. 

"It's an expression, not an actual- you know what, nevermind. I'll explain it when I come back." 

Eugene walked off into the woods to gather more firewood. Rapunzel wanted to go with him, but she found it hard to even move. 

"Well I thought he'd never leave!" Shouted Gothel from behind Rapunzel. 

Rapunzel slowly turned around on the log. She tried to stand, but her body wouldn't. 

"Mother? How did you find me?"

"Oh easy dear. I listened for the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that." She stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. "Come on dear, we're going home." 

"No!" Rapunzel shouted. She yanked her wrist away and started coughing. She nearly toppled over off the log. 

"No?" Gothel sneered. 

She went on to lecture Rapunzel about how 'proud' she was that she found the wanted thief. Rapunzel did her best to fight it, but it felt like her energy was draining. When Gothel tossed the precious satchel, Rapunzel almost tipped over. And when Gothel finished she couldn't even call out for her to wait. Each breath was harder and harder to take. By the time Eugene came back, she was nearly blue. 

"Blondie! You're blue!" Eugene shouted. He dropped the firewood and rushed over to her. "Did you swallow any of the water?"

Rapunzel nodded her head and coughed. 

"Shit" Eugene cursed. "We have to get you to town, now." 

Rapunzel tried to stand but fell over, revealing the poorly hidden satchel. Eugene's eyes drifted to the brown bag he once valued above all else. 

"When did you- nevermind. It's not important. We have to hurry."

Eugene helped Rapunzel stand and wrapped his arm under her shoulder. He was about to carry her to the kingdom when Maximus showed up. 

"Max!" Eugene cheered. "No time to explain. She's hurt and needs our help. Can you carry her to the doctor?"

Maximus stood and stared at the man he was just chasing hours ealier. He looked relieved to see him, but panic was in his eyes. Max looked over to the blonde girl, who despite being blue still managed to smile at him. Max knew helping the girl was the right thing to do. Plus then he could arrest Flynn Rider. 

Max neighed and gestured to his back. Eugene instantly draped Rapunzel over his saddle and started to walk next to the palace horse. 

"Thank you," Eugene said as they started to move forward. 

Max stopped and looked at Eugene. He neighed and gestured back. Eugene took the hint and hopped on Maximus's back. Rapunzel's head fell onto Eugene's chest. His heart pounded faster and faster with each of her labored breaths.

"Alright Max. Let's see how fast you can run."

Max took off and Eugene held on tight. He forgot all about the satchel and didn't notice the woman watching them. 

At the break of dawn, Max kicked in the doctor's door, nearly giving the poor man a heart attack. Eugene hopped off the horse and Rapunzel fell into his arms. 

"She swallowed some water when the dam broke. She started coughing a few hours ago, and her breathing is labored. She turned blue and since has been in and out of consciousness. Please," Eugene begged. "Can you help us?"

The old man stroked his beard as he took in the unlikely trio: Maximus, the number one palace horse, Flynn Rider, the notorious thief, and the girl who's hair resembled the sun. 

"Please, put her on the bed." 

Eugene immediately layed Rapunzel down; she looked almost like an angel, resting in her bed of golden hair. 

"Now let's take a looksee, miss-"

"Rapunzel," Eugene answered. 

"Rapunzel." The doctor stopped for a second to take in her hair which was trailed out the door. "That's a lot of hair." 

"You have no idea." Eugene laughed off his fear. 

"The- song-" Rapunzel coughed. She sat up and the doctor handed her a nearby bowl, which she emptied the contents of her stomach into.

"Right!" Eugene smacked his head so hard Pascal could feel it. "Do you want me to sing it?" 

Rapunzel nodded before laying back down. Her eyes were drifting shut. Eugene feared it would be forever. 

"No no no, Rapunzel!" He shouted as he rushed to her side. "Stay with me. Breathe in, breathe out" He brushed back her hair and rested his hand on her forehead. She did her best to take slow breaths, but each one was harder than the next.

"What were the words dammit!" He cursed. 

Max and the doctor looked at each other and then to the couple. Before either could ask a question, Eugene started singing. 

Rapunzel's hair slowly started to glow as Eugene's melodic voice filled the room. Pascal stood on his shoulder and told Max and the doctor not to freak out. As the song finished, Rapunzel's coughing stopped and her lips returned to their normal pink color. Both the doctor's and the horse's jaws hung open as they witnessed the magic before them. The doctor knew immediately who she was. 

"Maximus, go get a guard. Now!" The doctor shouted. 

Eugene started to panic and placed himself between the doctor and Rapunzel. 

"Look. I know I'm public enemy number 1 right now, but please. I had no other choice but to bring her here. I've seen too many kids die at the orphanage because of this. I couldn't let her suffer the same fate." 

Rapunzel squeezed his hand tight. She slowly sat up, her head spinning slightly. 

"Eugene?" She whispered in his ear. "What's wrong? How did we get here?" 

"It's okay blondie," he replied, shoving down his fears. "I'll explain later. For now, just stay behind me." 

Guards busted in the room and pointed their bows at Eugene. He swallowed and felt Rapunzel tremble behind him. 

"That's her. That's the lost princess. I'd recognize that magic healing anywhere." 

Everyone turned to the doctor and looked shocked, but none more confused than Rapunzel. Then the guards turned to Rapunzel, lowered the weapons, and bowed. Eugene looked at Rapunzel, still holding her hand, and then to the doctor. 

"Son, you just risked your life to save the lost princess. And you didn't even know it." 

Eugene's mouth dropped and his free hand fumbled with his hair. 

"Well that's not what I expected to happen." 

Rapunzel still didn't understand what was happening. She held onto Eugene tight as more people bust through the door. 

"Your majesties!" The doctor shouted. 

Eugene gulped when he saw the King he had just robbed not a day earlier. 

"Your daughter has returned." 

The king and queen moved to hug their daughter, but Rapunzel finally snapped. 

"What is going on!" She shouted. Everyone froze in place and watched as their princess started to cry. "Last I remember Eugene and I were by the campfire and Mother had returned the satchel. Then I had a dream we were flying through the forest and I wake up here! Please, someone tell me what's going on."

Eugene hugged Rapunzel and stroked her back as she cried. 

"It's okay. Just breathe. In and out. Slow."

Eugene breathed with her until she stopped panicking. 

"Better?" He asked, wiping away her tears. She nodded her head. 

"Okay. Let's answer your questions one at a time. You swallowed some water when the dam broke and so you were essentially drowning, but the effect was delayed." Eugene looked at the doctor and he nodded. "I'd seen it a lot in the orphanage, and I knew you needed help. I was gonna carry you, but Max showed up and he gave us a ride. You must've passed out." 

Rapunzel slowly nodded. "That was probably why I thought we were flying. I've never been on a horse before." Rapunzel smiled and Eugene laughed. "Did Mother follow us? She gave me the satchel and said you would leave me as soon as I gave it to you. I don't know where it went. Or where she is..."

"Right, the satchel." Eugene rubbed his neck, looking embarrassed. "I left it back at camp when Max showed up." 

"Is it with the fort?" Rapunzel asked with a joking smile. 

Eugene laughed with her. "Yup. Must be. And as for 'Mother', that brings us to the next question."

Eugene stepped to the side and allowed Rapunzel to look at the king and queen of Corona. 

"You know those lights you so desperately want to see? Well, they're for the lost princess. 18 years ago she was kidnapped from her parents, the king and queen. She was born with long golden hair and bright green eyes. No one has seen her for 18 years. That is, until today." 

Rapunzel stared the king and queen. They looked so familiar. Then she had a flashback to her first memory of her parents, her true parents, standing above her. Next to them was a sun floating in the sky, the same sun on the King's chest and the guard's metal shirts. Her head started to spin as everything started to make sense. 

She looked up at the king and queen, tears in her eyes. 

"Mom? Dad?" 

The king and queen rushed over to their daughter and held her tight. 

"You're safe honey. You're home." 

Eugene watched as the royal family wad reunited. The queen extended her hand and pulled him into the family hug. 

That night the royal family launched lanterns into the sky in celebration: the lost princess had returned. Mother Gothel was caught trying to sneak into the palace, along with the Stabbington brothers. Rapunzel was finally safe and lived the rest of her life surrounded by love and light. Her dream had finally come true.

**Author's Note:**

> Do not ask me about the healing. I will block you if you ask me about the healing. 💛


End file.
